Talking Points and Facts You Can Use

BE AN EXPERT SPEAKER  FOR DEMOCRACY MATTERS    

Your goal when speaking on behalf of your chapter of Democracy Matters is to get people excited about getting involved and changing the political system.  Just follow these tips:

  • Don’t get bogged down in jargon and lingo. “Campaign finance reform” are three dirty words when you’re talking to a new group. Instead of using those works, explain that our goals are  “getting big money out of politics” or “an accountable government where you can  make your voice heard” or “a government of by and for the people, not corporations.”
  • Don’t ever leave people feeling powerless. Emphasize social  change –  don’t just talk about how bad things are. And ALWAYS give them something they can do to start making change.

Here’s a rough 3 part guide to a good talk that can used as be a short rap or a full speech.

  • Get ‘em pissed off – Tell your audience about the problem(s) of money in politics, why  you care about it, and how it directly affects them. Talk about voting rights suppression. Depending on how much time you have, pick one or a few examples  and stick with those.
  • Give ‘em a solution and hope – Emphasize how publicly financed elections can create an  accountable, fairer,  more inclusive political system, where corporate big money doesn’t dominate and control, and their voices can be heard.   Highlight that public financing was implemented by grassroots movements, is affordable and constitutional, has allowed ordinary people to run for office,  and has for many years been working successfully in ME, AZ, CT, New York City, Seattle, Montgomery County, MD, Albuquerque NM and more…
  • Get ‘em involved – Tell them about how your chapter of Democracy Matters is working to make public campaign financing, early voting, and automatic voter registration a reality, and how they can get involved. At this point you should pass around a DM sign up sheet so they can get more information.  Tell them you need their help! Suggest two things each person in the audience can do on their own to help advance the movement: e.g. call  or write their representative; talk to friends about what they learned to help spread the word;  help get signatures for a petition;  and other ideas.

MORE RULES FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION

Know your audience – Before speaking with a group, think about what they know about your issue, what their interests are, and how you can best engage with them. You may have a standard “DM Speech,” but ALWAYS tailor it for your specific audience.

Practice! – Take the time to practice your speech in front of a few friends – or a mirror. It will help you get over your nerves and your friends can provide constructive criticism. You audience shouldn’t be your guinea pig – that’s what friends are for!

Be confident and energetic – If you’re boring and unsure of yourself, it will reflect upon your organization. Be passionate! If you’re excited and assertive,  your audience will end up just as excited and ready to get involved.

Don’t read your speech – You cannot be confident and energetic if your eyes are glued to a piece of paper…besides, the audience wants to see your eyes, not the top of your head. You can definitely speak from some basic notes, but most of your talk should be flexible. It makes you appear more professional and confident.

Speak loudly and slowly – If you speak at a mile a minute, no one will hear a word you say. If you speak in a whisper, they will give up trying to hear you. Remind yourself throughout your speech that you should be speaking loudly and slowly, loudly and slowly…. You will always be softer and faster than you think you are.

Posture –You should never have your back to the audience and you should stand tall rather than slouch. You should also have constant eye contact with the audience.

Make only a few points – You don’t want to overwhelm people with too much information – especially if you’re talking about money in politics. Too much information means that people end up soaking in No information because they get overwhelmed. Keep it simple (3 points)  repeat main points at start and finish.

Engage with your audience – Ask your audience questions, solicit their opinions, make examples of their experiences. If you get them involved, they’re more likely to really think about how your speech affects their interests and get involved. Plus, they can’t zone out or fall asleep if you’re asking questions and soliciting their opinions!

Answering Questions – Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know! Just ask for their contact information and tell them you’ll look into it and get back to them.

Stay calm – You might get a devil’s advocate in the crowd. They’ll want to tear down your suggestions . Don’t let them get you riled up…it’s not worth it.  Just ask them politely to stay after the session is over,and you’ll talk with them on an individual basis.

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EVEN MORE IDEAS…

  • Our right to participate in politics is being taken away by big money in politics. We need to fight for this right and get money out of politics and put people back in!
  • Do you know how much a seat in the House of Representatives costs these days? Around 1.7 Billion. Could YOU afford to run for office if you wanted to? Could ANYONE YOU KNOW?
  • If we want to address the challenges – environment, inequality, student debt, incarceration etc. – that are facing our nation, we must first fix our political system by freeing politicians from dependence on big money. Join us to find out how you can be a part of the solution!
  • When the interests of big campaign donors and their lobbyists are favored over the needs of the public, we all pay the price. Republican or Democrat, we can all agree that the current pay-to-play system is destroying our democracy. Come to our event to find out what Democracy Matters is doing to restore our democracy!

Catchy Lines for You to Use!